SIGNS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

146- The people of the Book know this as they know their own sons; but some of them
conceal the truth, knowingly.
2-The Cow, 146

In this chapter, we shall be studying the implications in the Old Testament made to the
Prophet, to the region where he lived and to the message he brought. The greater part of
our book has so far treated such subject matters as physics, chemistry, geology and biology.
Also we have tackled, in a separate category, philosophical speculations, and in another
separate category archaeological issues. Now we shall be dealing with those parts of the Old
and New Testaments that are of special relevance for our present study. Questions that have
found answers in the natural sciences, based on observation, were followed by ratiocination
in the chapters on philosophy and were followed by historical data calling for detailed
analyses in the chapters on archaeology. Now we are to tackle the veracity of information
contained in the Bible. According to the Quran, Jews falsified their scriptures by changing the
context and meaning of words. This misled the commentators in their interpretations of the
signs heralding the advent of the Prophet:

46- Some among the Jews distort the words out of context and say with a twist of their
tongues...
4-The Women, 46

41- They change the words from their right places and say “If you are given this, accept it,
but if you are given anything different, beware.”
5-The Feast, 41

The fact that Jewish rabbis have tried to misinterpret the signs related to Islam dates from
the time of the Prophet. There is reference to this in the verse quoted at the head of the
present chapter.

ALL PROPHETS HAVE PROFESSED ISLAM

The Quran accepts that all the prophets descending from Adam are Muslim (submitter). The
word “Islam” has also the connotation of “peace.” The Jewish word “Shalom” and the Arabic
word “Salam” stem from the same root.

As for the prophet who prophesies peace (shalom), when the word of that prophet comes to
pass, then it will be known that the Lord has truly sent the prophet.
Jeremiah 28, 9

The word “peace” in this translation has the same root as the word “Islam.” The two
prophets, Christ and Muhammad, who came after Moses, announced 1) that there was one
God; 2) to worship only one God; 3) To believe in all messengers of God; 4) that man was to
believe in the Day of Judgment; 5) that man should lead an honest life, 6) that man should
not kill his kind or commit theft, and 7) that man should protect the needy and the orphans,
etc. According to the expressions used in the Old Testament, the proof of prophethood was
whether the message brought was one of peace (Islam) and whether his word turned out to
be true. Thanks to the message brought by Muhammad, billions of people have believed in
what he said and have loved God and believed in the Omniscience and Omnipotence of God
and that the truth of the revelations in the Book transmitted by him came to be
demonstrated by the ensuing historical events and developments in science. Nowhere in the
Old Testament can we come across a statement to the effect that Moses is the last prophet.

Someone who believes in the Bible can easily deduce from its contents the evidence of
Muhammad’s prophethood. Moreover, the Old Testament’s criterion for the recognition of a
prophet was his coming with the prophecy of peace, i.e., Islam in its etymological sense,
which word came to be integrated with the name of Muhammad.

6- For thus says the Lord of Hosts: “Yet, once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens
and the earth and the sea and the dry land.
7- And I will shake all nations so that the treasures (himada) of all nations shall come in, and
I will fill this house with glory, says the Lord of Hosts.
8- The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the Lord of Hosts.
9- The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of Hosts. And
in this place I will give peace (shalom), declares the Lord of Hosts”
Haggai 2, 6-9

The Hebrew word “himada” mentioned under verse 7 of Haggai stems from the same root as
H-M-D in the Arabic language which is the root of the name “Muhammad,” carrying more or
less the same meaning. Thus the name of the Prophet or the meaning of his name is
mentioned with reference to a glorious event that was to take place in the future. What can
be a more glorious event than the advent of Muhammad -who came after the Old Testament-
and whose message announced God’s existence to billions? Remember that the word
“shalom” (peace) in verse 9 comes from the same root as the word Islam.

A PROPHET LIKE MOSES

18- I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my
words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.
19- And whoever will not listen to My words that he shall speak in My name, I myself will
require it of him.
Deuteronomy 18, 18-19

In Deuteronomy the coming of a new prophet is predicted. Christians claim that reference is
here made to Jesus Christ. However, Muhammad, in many respects, was more like Moses
and had many more common traits with him than with Christ. It may be that both Jesus
Christ and Muhammad were meant. Only God knows the exact reference.

On the other hand, being of Jewish descent, it is quite possible that Jesus Christ was meant,
although Arabs and Jews had common ancestors. Michael Hammer, from the University of
Arizona, Tucson, in collaboration with some colleagues from the University of Israel,
examined 18 divisions in the Y chromosomes of 1371 persons who came from 29 different
communities. Among these were European Jews, Latinos, people from North Africa, Kurds,
Iranians, Yemenis and Ethiopians, Palestinians, Lebanese, Syrians, Israeli Durzis, Saudis and
16 non-semitic groups. The studies conducted have shown that Jews from different origins
and Arabs descended from a common stock. This is in accordance with the belief that
Abraham is the common ancestor of Jews and Arabs.

If we may be allowed to go back to Deuteronomy, it is easy to establish the many traits

Moses had in common with Muhammad, rather than with Jesus Christ. Moses, like
Muhammad, established a realm. The Christians’ realm was realized after Christ’s death.
Knowing that prophets transmit messages bearing common traits, it is difficult to decide
whether this prediction refers to Christ or Muhammad.

ORIGIN OF THE PROPHET

1- This is the blessing with which Moses, the man of God, blessed the people of Israel before
his death.
2- He said: “The Lord came from Sinai and dawned from Seir upon us; he shone forth from
Mount Paran; he came from the ten thousands of holy ones with flaming fire at his right
hand.”
Deuteronomy 33, 1-2

Moses’ prayer just before his death is interesting. The place referred to as Sinai is where
Moses had emerged; the second place, Seir is the place where Jesus came from; while the
third place is the Paran Mountains and it is the place where Muhammad came from. Thus, in
the Biblical statement quoted above, allusions are made to the monotheistic religions which
had an outstanding influence on humanity. Here we also see the corroboration of the
prophets to come, viz. Jesus and Muhammad; just as the Quran corroborated Moses and
Jesus as prophets, so had the Old Testament done this. The prediction in Deuteronomy that
the Prophet would come among the ten thousands of holy ones is a remarkable indication
because while Muhammad was living, he had ten thousands of followers.

THE CHOSEN SERVANT FROM AMONG THE PEOPLE OF KEDAR

WILL BREAK THE IDOLS
Accounts related to future events in Isaiah make allusions to Muhammad as Prophet.
Accounts related to the future in the Old Testament (Isaiah, 42) are in perfect conformity
with Muhammad’s ways, in that he broke the idols (8), that he established justice upon earth
during his lifetime (3 and 4), that he received the message from Gabriel, the Holy Spirit (1),
had ideal ethical values (2-3), shed light over the souls of men who had been blinded (6 and
7), carried over new messages he had received to mankind (10), and was a descendant of a
community that had descended from the line of Kedar (11).

1- Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my
Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations.
2- He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street.
3- A bruised breed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will
faithfully bring forth justice.
4- He will not grow faint or be discouraged till he has established justice in the earth; and
the coastlands wait for his law.
5- Thus says God, the Lord who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread
out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to
those who walk in it:
6- I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep
you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations.
7- To open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the
prison those who sit in darkness.
8- I am the Lord; that is my name; my glory I give to no other; nor my praise to carved
idols.
9- Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they
spring forth I tell you of them.
10- Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise from the end of the earth, you who go down to
the sea and all that fills it, the coastlands and their inhabitants.
11- Let the desert and its cities lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar inhabits; let the
habitants of Sela sing for joy, let them shout from the top of the mountains.
Isaiah 42, 1-11

A careful perusal of these verses may suggest to their reader that allusions to Muhammad
are plain. What is still remarkable is that these statements would turn out to come true. This
prediction was not made for the time of Isaiah but for later, as mentioned in verse 9. It is
interesting to note that in the 17th verse of Isaiah it is said that idolaters would be put to
shame, an event that had come true by the revelation of the Quran.

70- O people of the Book! Why do you reject the signs of God of which you are witnesses?
71- O people of the Book! Why do you clothe the truth with falsehood, and conceal the truth,
knowingly?
3-The Family of Imran, 70-71